Apparatus for grinding a surface of substrate

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for grinding a surface of a substrate, the apparatus including an inlet through which a jig accommodating the substrate is put; a grinding part that grinds the substrate conveyed from the inlet; and a washing part that washes the substrate conveyed from the grinding part, wherein the grinding part includes a plurality of rollers, the plurality of rollers having a protruding curved surface facing the jig and rotating on a surface of the substrate to grind the substrate, and the inlet, the grinding part, and the washing part are continuously conveyed by a conveyor.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0075689, filed on Jun. 28, 2013, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and entitled: “Apparatus For Grinding Surface of Substrate,” is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Embodiments relate to an apparatus for grinding a surface of a substrate.

2. Description of the Related Art

A display window used in a mobile phone may include an acryl resin, which may be inexpensive and easily prepared. However, as a method for performing a function of a mobile phone by a touch is increases in popularity, a synthetic resin material, e.g., acryl, may not be used due to scratch susceptibility, low strength, vulnerability to heat, low transmittance, high battery consumption for keeping luminance, or the like. Accordingly, tempered glass may be used for a touch panel.

The tempered glass may undergo a process of cutting disk glass in the state of being loaded into a cassette to have an appearance of window glass, grinding an outline, performing hole and chamfering machining, and machining an appearance by grinding an inner surface of a hole. Next, both surfaces of the window glass may be ground and undergo a post process, e.g., a washing process and a heat treatment process, and then the manufacturing of the window glass may be completed.

The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

SUMMARY

Embodiments are directed to an apparatus for grinding a surface of a substrate.

The embodiments may be realized by providing an apparatus for grinding a surface of a substrate, the apparatus including an inlet through which a jig accommodating the substrate is put; a grinding part that grinds the substrate conveyed from the inlet; and a washing part that washes the substrate conveyed from the grinding part, wherein the grinding part includes a plurality of rollers, the plurality of rollers having a protruding curved surface facing the jig and rotating on a surface of the substrate to grind the substrate, and the inlet, the grinding part, and the washing part are continuously conveyed by a conveyor.

The rollers may be orthogonally disposed relative to a conveyance direction of the jig.

The jig may include a substrate disposition part for accommodating the substrate.

The substrate disposition part of the jig may be recessed in the jig and faces the rollers.

A number of substrate disposition parts of the jig may be the same as a number of rollers of the grinding part, and the substrate disposition parts may be disposed to face each of the rollers.

The substrate disposition part of the jig convexly may protrude toward the roller.

The substrate disposition part may be plural in number, each substrate disposition part of the jig may be offset from the rollers such that each substrate disposition part is between two rollers, depending on movement of the jig, and central portions of respective rollers may be aligned between the substrate disposition parts.

The substrate disposition part of the jig may include a vacuum holding part for coupling with and holding the substrate.

A lower portion of each of the rollers may include a lattice-shaped brush.

The lower portion of each of the rollers may include a groove, the groove containing an abrasive.

A hair diameter of the brush may be 0.1 to 0.5 mm.

A hair length of the brush may be 6 to 10 mm.

Adjacent rollers of the plurality of rollers may rotate in directions opposite to each other.

The grinding part may further include an abrasive administration part.

The apparatus may further include an inspection part after the washing part; and a separation and arrangement part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features will be apparent to those of skill in the art by describing in detail exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram schematically showing an apparatus for grinding a surface of a substrate according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a jig having a recessed shape against a roller according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along line of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view a jig having a protruding shape against the roller according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 illustrates a diagram showing a roller of a grinding part according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a diagram showing a ground cross sectional shape of a substrate G according to an embodiment, in which FIG. 7 a illustrates a diagram showing an outside ground cross sectional shape and FIG. 7 b illustrates a diagram showing an inside ground cross sectional shape.

FIG. 8 illustrates a diagram showing a contact shape of a lower brush of a roller at the time of grinding the substrate according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, they may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey exemplary implementations to those skilled in the art.

In the drawing figures, the dimensions of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity of illustration. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, film, region, or substrate is referred to as being “on” another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” another element, there are no intervening elements present.

Hereinafter, an apparatus for grinding a surface of a substrate according to an embodiment will be described in detail with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of an apparatus for grinding a surface of a substrate according to an embodiment.

The apparatus for grinding a surface of a substrate according to an embodiment may include an inlet 100 for a jig 10, a grinding part 200 for the jig 10 that grinds the substrate G, and a washing part 300. In an implementation, the apparatus may include an inspection part 400 and a separation and arrangement part 500.

The jig 10 may be sequentially conveyed from the inlet 100 to the grinding part 200, the washing part 300, the inspection part 400, and the separation and arrangement unit 500 through a conveyor 1000.

The inlet 100 for the jig 10, the grinding part 200, and the washing part 300 may be connected to the conveyor 1000, which may horizontally move the jig 10 that accommodates the substrate G.

The inlet 100 may be a part of the apparatus for grinding a surface of a substrate according to an embodiment into which the jig 10 (accommodating the substrate G), is inserted.

The grinding part 200 may be a part that grinds the substrate G conveyed through the conveyer 1000 from the inlet 100, while being accommodated by the jig 10.

The grinding part 200 may be movably coupled on the conveyor 1000, and may include a plurality of rollers 20 having a protruding curved surface against the jig 10 (in which the substrate G to be ground is accommodated).

The grinding part 200 may include an abrasive administration part into or through which the abrasive for grinding the substrate G, which is disposed between the roller 20 and the jig 10, may be administrated.

In an implementation, the abrasive may include, e.g., cerium oxide (CeO₂). In an implementation, at the time of grinding the substrate G, the abrasive may be sprayed between a brush 23 (see FIG. 6) and the substrate G.

The plurality of rollers 20 may be a part of a grinding apparatus that grinds a surface of the substrate G. The plurality of rollers 20 may be disposed in several steps along a conveyance direction of the conveyor 1000 so as to perform the grinding several times.

The roller 20 may contact the substrate G while rotating clockwise or counterclockwise to grind the substrate G. A contact portion between the roller 20 and the substrate G may be configured of a lattice shaped brush 23. A hair diameter of the brush 23 under the roller 20 may be about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm. A hair length of the brush 23 may be about 6 mm to about 10 mm. A lower portion of the roller 20 may include a groove that may contain the abrasive injected into the grinding part 200.

The substrate G (seated on substrate disposition parts 11 and 12 (see FIGS. 2-5) of the jig 10) may contact the brush 23 (disposed in the roller 20). Thus, as the roller 20 rotates, the substrate G may be ground. For example, the protruding substrate G may be ground in a space between the respective rollers 20, and the recessed substrate G may be ground while the respective substrates G face the respective rollers 20, e.g., forward.

The washing part 300 may be a part that washes the substrate G that has been ground by the roller 20. The washing part 300 may wash grinding dregs, the abrasive, or the like, that may be generated by the grinding and that may remain on the substrate G by using a cleaning agent.

The inspection part 400 and the separation and arrangement part 500, which may be additionally included, may be parts that inspect whether the ground state of the ground substrate G (that has been conveyed through the conveyor 1000 via the grinding part 200 and the washing part 300) is defective and that separate the substrate G without a defect from the jig 10. The substrate G with a defect may be ground and washed again, depending on the content or degree of defects.

The roller 20 may be vertically disposed upwardly with respect to the conveyance direction of the jig 10. Thus, the roller 20 may grind the substrate G accommodated by the jig 10 by contacting the substrate G from top to bottom.

Hereinafter, the jig 10 a for grinding of the recessed substrate G and the substrate G disposed thereon will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate perspective and cross-sectional views of a jig 10 a having a recessed shape against the roller 20 according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 2, the substrate disposition part 11 may be formed in the jig 10 a, and may have a recessed shape against or corresponding to the roller 20. Thus, the jig 10 a may be for grinding the recessed surface of the substrate G.

In an implementation, a number of jigs 10 a may be the same as a number of the rollers 20 in the grinding part 300. The substrate disposition part 11 may be configured so that the substrate G may be ground by allowing respective rollers to correspond to the respective substrates G in a one to one relationship. FIG. 2 illustrates that six substrates G may be seated in the jig 10. In an implementation, a number of substrates G larger or smaller than six may be seated.

The cross-sectional view of the jig 10 a having the recessed substrate disposition part 12 is illustrated in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 3, each substrate G may be ground by being disposed in each of the substrate disposition parts 11 of the jig 10 a. A curvature of each substrate disposition part 11 may be the same as that of the substrate G.

The substrate G may be made of glass, and a central part thereof may include a recessedly or concave bent curved surface. The substrate disposition part 11 of the jig 10 a may include a recessed portion so that the substrate G (including the curved surface) may be accommodated. Each substrate disposition part 11 may further include a vacuum holding part (not illustrated) for accommodating and holding the loaded substrate G.

Hereinafter, a jig 10 b for grinding of the substrate G and the substrate G disposed thereon will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate perspective and cross-sectional views of a jig 10 b having a protruding shape against the roller 20 according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4, the substrate disposition part 12 may be disposed on the jig 10 b, and may have a protruding shape for protruding against a recessed portions of the edges of at least two, e.g., adjacent, rollers 20. The jig 10 b illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 may be for grinding a surface of the protruding substrate G.

The substrate disposition part 12 may be configured so that the substrate G may be ground by allowing the jig 10 b to be correspondingly disposed between at least two rollers 20, e.g., adjacent rollers 20, disposed in the grinding part 300.

The cross-sectional view of the jig 10 b having the protruding substrate disposition part 12 is illustrated in FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 5, each substrate G may be ground by being disposed on each of the substrate disposition parts 12 of the jig 10 b. A curvature of each substrate disposition part 12 may be the same as that of the substrate G.

In an implementation, the substrate G may be made of glass. A central part of the substrate G may include a protrudedly or convex bent curved surface. The substrate disposition part 12 may include a protruding portion so that the jig 10 b may accommodate the substrate G (including the curved surface). Each substrate disposition part 12 may further include the vacuum holding part for accommodating and holding the loaded substrate G.

The recessed portion 11 of the jig 10 a may be seated with the substrate G by contacting a first surface (hereinafter, referred to as a back surface) of the substrate G. The protruding portion 12 of the jig 10 b may be seated with the substrate G by contacting a second surface (hereinafter, referred to as a front surface) of the substrate G, which is an opposite side to the back surface of the substrate G.

For example, the front surface of the substrate G may be exposed when the substrate G is in the recessed portion 11 of the jig 10, and the back surface of the substrate G may be exposed when the substrate G is on the protruding portion 12 of the jig 10. As described above, the substrates G seated in the recessed portion 11 or on the protruding portion 12 of the jig 10 may each expose the front and back surfaces to grind the front and back surfaces of the substrate G.

Hereinafter, the roller 20 of the grinding part 200 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 illustrates a diagram showing a roller of a grinding part according to an embodiment.

The roller 20 may contact the substrate G (while rotating clockwise or counterclockwise) to grind the substrate G. A contact portion between the roller 20 and the substrate G may be configured of a lattice shaped brush 23. When the brush 23 has a straight shape, the brush 23 may rotate only in one direction, such that scratches may occur on the surface of the substrate G. In an implementation, the brush 23 may have a lattice shape and may form a lower portion of the roller 20 to thus help prevent the scratch from occurring on the substrate G. The roller 20 may include a rotating part 24 and a roller body 26.

The hair diameter of the brush 23 of the lower portion of the roller 20 may be about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm. Maintaining the hair diameter at about 0.1 mm or greater may help ensure that the surface of the substrate G is ground well. Maintaining the hair diameter at about 0.5 mm or less may help prevent damage to the surface of the substrate G.

The hair length of the brush 23 of the lower portion of the roller 20 may be about 6 to about 10 mm. When the brush 23 has the hair length in the range, an end of the brush 23 may be pressed by a pressure appropriate for the roller 20 to perform the grinding on the side of the brush 23, thereby reducing and/or preventing the likelihood of undesirable scratches.

A curved surface of the lower portion of the roller 20 may correspond to the front surface of the substrate G. A curved surface at a point at which the lower portions of the two rollers 20 meet may correspond to the back surface of the substrate G. As noted above, the substrate G may be ground by the brush 23 at the lower portion of the roller 20. Thus, the curved surface of the lower portion of the roller 20 may not accurately coincide with that of the substrate G, and the grinding may be performed even in the case in which a predetermined margin between the curvature of the curved surfaces is present.

The lower portion of the roller 20 may include the groove for containing or providing the abrasive to be injected into the grinding part 200. In this case, a groove is cut in the brush 23 of the roller 20 to be able to effectively contain the abrasive.

The plurality of rollers 20 may be disposed in the grinding part 200. Adjacent rollers may rotate clockwise and counterclockwise, respectively, e.g., in an opposite direction to each other.

Hereinafter, the grinding shape of the substrate G by the roller 20 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 7.

FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view showing a ground cross sectional shape of the substrate G according to an embodiment. For example, FIG. 7 a illustrates a diagram showing an outside ground cross sectional shape and illustrates a cross section at the time of grinding the protruding substrate G, and FIG. 7 b illustrates a diagram showing an inside ground cross sectional shape and illustrates a cross section at the time of grinding the recessed substrate G.

Referring to FIG. 7, when the jig 10 (in or on which the substrate G is seated or accommodated) is conveyed to the grinding part 200 from the inlet 100 by the conveyor 1000, the surface of the substrate G may be ground by the roller 20 of the grinding part 200.

The substrate G (seated in or on the substrate disposition parts 11 and 12 of the jig 10) may contact the brush 23 of the roller 20, and thus may be ground by rotating the roller 20. In an implementation, the abrasive may be sprayed between the brush 23 and the substrate G.

The grinding of the protruding substrate G may be performed in a space between the respective rollers 20 (7 a), e.g., offset from the rollers 20. The grinding of the recessed substrate G may be performed so as to allow the respective substrates G to face the respective rollers 20 (7 b), e.g., aligned with the rollers 20.

Referring to FIG. 7 a, as the ground shape of the back surface corresponding to the protruding portion of the substrate G, respective substrates G may be disposed between the respective rollers 20, e.g., offset from the rollers 20. For example, the respective substrates G may be ground in a state in which the central portion of the roller 20 is disposed between the respective substrates G. In this case, the respective rollers 20 contacting the single substrate G may grind the substrate G while rotating in an opposite direction.

Referring to FIG. 7 b as the ground shape of the front surface corresponding to the recessed portion of the substrate G, the roller 20 may correspond to the substrate G in an one to one relationship in the state in which the respective substrates G faces the respective rollers 20, e.g., the front surface of the substrate G is aligned with a respective one of the rollers 20. Accordingly, the substrate G may be ground by the rotation of the roller 20.

In an implementation, the substrate G may be seated in or on the jig 10 and may be ground while moving through the conveyor 1000. For example, the substrate G may be ground while passing through the plurality of rollers 20. In this case, the conveyor 1000 may not stop for more than 10 seconds. If the conveyor 1000 were to stop for longer than 10 seconds, e.g., if the substrate G stops for more than 10 seconds without moving, the roller 20 may continuously rotate to grind the substrate G and the surface of the substrate G may be damaged.

FIG. 8 illustrates a diagram showing a contact shape when the brush 23 of the lower portion of the roller 20 according to an embodiment grinds the substrate G.

Referring to FIG. 8, it may be seen that grinding may be performed while a side of the brush 23 of the lower portion of the roller 20 contacts the substrate G.

At the time of grinding the substrate G, after an end of the brush 23 contacts the surface of the substrate G, the roller 20 may move vertically with respect to the substrate G by about 3 mm. In this case, as the roller 20 rotates while the lower portion of the brush 23 contacts the surface of the substrate G, the surface of the substrate G may be ground by using the side of the brush 23 at the lower portion of the roller 20.

Referring to FIG. 8, the upper figure shows a state in which the end of the brush 23 contacts the surface of the substrate G at the time of grinding the substrate G, and the lower figure illustrates a state in which the brush 23 is pressed vertically or downwardly by about 3 mm relative to the substrate G by moving the roller 20 toward the substrate (G) direction by about 3 mm (from the state in which the end of the brush 23 contacts the surface of the substrate G) to thus be in the state in which the side of the brush 23 contacts the surface of the substrate G.

The grinding of the substrate G may be performed in the state of the brush 20 as illustrated in the lower figure of FIG. 8.

By way of summation and review, in the manufacturing process of the tempered glass, in the case of a plate-shaped glass, the grinding of both surfaces of the window glass may be finished by a relatively simpler process. However, when the surface of the window glass has a curved shape, the surface grinding may not be effectively or efficiently performed. After window glass is machined in a curved shape, a surface grinding process, e.g., lapping and polishing for making the window glass glossy and transparent, may be performed. The curved surface grinding may be manually performed on each portion on the curved surface, and the working time is very long due to the surface grinding working, thereby remarkably reducing productivity, making the transparency of the window glass non-uniform, and frequently damaging the window glass during the working.

Further, a curved surface may be manually ground or may be ground by a CNC machine. In such a case, only the curved surface (edge), which is a specific portion, may be ground. Thus, the edge may have a different color from a plane (middle portion), which does not undergo the grinding. Such a difference in color may be regarded as color inferiority due to a color deviation. Even in the case of performing a rework due to the occurrence of scratches, the curved portion, which is the edge, may be cut. Therefore the grinding working may not be performed by a flat-surface grinding machine, scratches may occur on the surface of the glass substrate at the time of contact between a grinding plate and a glass substrate that are used during the grinding process of the glass substrate, and the scratch of the glass substrate may deteriorate the performance of a display device using the glass substrate.

As set forth above, according to an embodiment, even when the substrate for protecting a screen of the liquid crystal display has a curved shape, all grinding processes of the grinding, washing, and inspection of the curved portion in a single grinding system may be performed. In addition, the inner circumferential surface of the substrate and/or the outer circumferential surface having the curved shape may be ground without hindering the movement of the conveyor.

Further, according to an embodiment, it is possible to reduce and/or prevent scratching of the substrate by rotating a lattice-shaped grinding brush in different directions.

The embodiments may provide an apparatus for grinding a surface of a substrate, the apparatus being capable of effectively performing grinding machining on a substrate having a curved surface while simultaneously performing external and internal grinding machining during the grinding process of the substrate, thereby simplifying a process and improving productivity.

According to an embodiment, even when the substrate for protecting a screen of the liquid crystal display has a curved shape, all grinding processes of the grinding, washing, and inspection of the curved portion in a single grinding system may be performed, and the inner circumferential surface of the substrate or the outer circumferential surface having the curved shape may be ground, without hindering the movement of the conveyor.

Further, according to an embodiment, it is possible to prevent scratching of the substrate by rotating a lattice-shaped grinding brush in different directions.

Example embodiments have been disclosed herein, and although specific terms are employed, they are used and are to be interpreted in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purpose of limitation. In some instances, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the filing of the present application, features, characteristics, and/or elements described in connection with a particular embodiment may be used singly or in combination with features, characteristics, and/or elements described in connection with other embodiments unless otherwise specifically indicated. Accordingly, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for grinding a surface of a substrate, the apparatus comprising: an inlet through which a jig accommodating the substrate is put; a grinding part that grinds the substrate conveyed from the inlet; and a washing part that washes the substrate conveyed from the grinding part, wherein: the grinding part includes a plurality of rollers, the plurality of rollers having a protruding curved surface facing the jig and rotating on a surface of the substrate to grind the substrate, and the inlet, the grinding part, and the washing part are continuously conveyed by a conveyor.
 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rollers are orthogonally disposed relative to a conveyance direction of the jig.
 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the jig includes a substrate disposition part for accommodating the substrate.
 4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the substrate disposition part of the jig is recessed in the jig and faces the rollers.
 5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein: a number of substrate disposition parts of the jig is the same as a number of rollers of the grinding part, and the substrate disposition parts are disposed to face each of the rollers.
 6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the substrate disposition part of the jig convexly protrudes toward the roller.
 7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein: the substrate disposition part is plural in number, each substrate disposition part of the jig is offset from the rollers such that each substrate disposition part is between two rollers, depending on movement of the jig, and central portions of respective rollers are aligned between the substrate disposition parts.
 8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the substrate disposition part of the jig includes a vacuum holding part for coupling with and holding the substrate.
 9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a lower portion of each of the rollers includes a lattice-shaped brush.
 10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the lower portion of each of the rollers includes a groove, the groove containing an abrasive.
 11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein a hair diameter of the brush is 0.1 to 0.5 mm.
 12. The apparatus o as claimed in claim 9, wherein a hair length of the brush is 6 to 10 mm.
 13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein adjacent rollers of the plurality of rollers rotate in directions opposite to each other.
 14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grinding part further includes an abrasive administration part.
 15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: an inspection part after the washing part; and a separation and arrangement part. 